Cravan
The Greater Continentian Empire of Cravan and her Overseas Dominions, Greater Continentian Empire, or simply Cravan, is a Continentian nation, the central homeland of which is located on the inner coast of the eastern landmass of the region. The Empire is comprised of six Constituent Countries: Camden, Meddlesworth, Tillingham, Sapin, Aurelias, and Cortenshire; the former three a part of mainland Cravan and often referred to as the "Home Countries." The Empire also possesses one Overseas Territory, Carpanthium. Five of the six Countries are located in Continentia, while Cortenshire is located in the region of Arterus. Carpanthium is located in Continentia, on the southern coastline of Northford. The Greater Continentian Empire is a , operating a working parliamentary democracy, with His Imperial Majesty Robert the Second of Cravan as and reigning . The Right Honorable Elizabeth Anagrams currently serves as the nation's thirty-fourth Primary Director, elected into office in June of 2007. Cravan is considered to be a major player on the Continentian stage, one of several of the more influential nations of the region with close ties to other neighboring countries under its sphere of influence. Cravan boasts a booming economy, comprised mostly of information technology markets. The Crave is the sixth most powerful currency in Continentia, after the Hamptonian Krone. On the international stage, Cravan is a member of the New Alliance Treaty Organization as well as a founding member of the now defunct GASN and a former member of the equally defunct ISAF. History Main Article: History of Cravan Geography Main Article: Geography and Climate of Cravan Political Boundaries and Divisions The Empire is divided up into six Countries and one Overseas Territory, the territory of Carpanthium having representation in the House of Commons but no representation on the Council of Lords, while Countries have equal representation on the Council and are represented in the House of Commons according to population. Although a distinction is made between the three "Home Countries" and the three other Countries, all Countries are equal on the Council of Lords and have equal standards for the number of seats alotted to each county in the Countries according to population. Each Constituent Country is divided up into Counties, provincial level administrative zones which are further divided into Districts. There are seventeen Counties throughout the Empire, listed under their Constituent Country of origin. *Meddlesworth **Extonshire **Cartonshire **Durhamshire **Nottingshire *Tillingham **Berkeley **Wellington **Elrith *Sapin **Catamarca **Formosa *Aurelias **Glasgon **Falkirk **Argyll *Cortenshire **Fellingswale **Sillingshire Government and Politics TBC Demographics TBC Education Schooling in Cravan is either privately funded and operated or publicly funded and managed by city governments, adhering to regulations and a curriculum set forth by the Imperial government. Basic schooling ranges between two different stages, sectioned off to six grade levels each and an optional basic preschool level before the first grade. The elementary level spans from first to sixth grade, while the secondary level spans from seventh to twelfth grade with seventh and eighth grades being used as transitional "middle school" periods. Generally twelfth graders are between seventeen and eighteen years old, at which point after graduation they are eligible for university education. There are only three state funded universities in Cravan: the Imperial Army University, the Imperial Naval University, and the Imperial Air Force University. All three offer some of what are considered the best curriculums in both scholarly and athletic fields, and are free to attend assuming the entry requirements, which are also considered very steep in comparison to most other universities, are met. Graduation from a military university signs the graduate into a four year tour of duty with the corresponding service branch as an officer dependent upon the graduate's class rank, the highest rank in the military granted to a graduate being O-2. (Cpt. in Army, Lt. in Navy, Cpt. in Air Force) All other universities in the Empire are privately owned and eniterly privately funded. Cravan is famous for its prestigious universities and educational standards, as well as its high tuition rates for both domestic and foreign students. The Laurana metropolitan area alone has over two hundred universities of varying type, size, and tuition rates, and is also home to the Imperial Army Academy. One of the more notable universities in the downtown Laurana area which has official recognition as a 'global school' by the Imperial government is the Lylesworth Institution of Business, Economics, and Political Sciences. Lylesworth University is renowned throughout the Empire for its extensive academics and athletics programs, and many notable graduates have since gone on to influence Cravanian society greatly such as Primary Director Anagrams as well as the societies and governments of other nations. Economy TBC Culture TBC Infrastructure Transportation The Greater Continentian Empire has a heavily developed and effective transportation network, managed by the government and funded by both government funding and private investors and contributors. The advanced highway network connects cities in all major territories of the Empire and also connects Imperial territories to many bordering foreign nations in accordance with international agreements. Road networks aside from highways and freeways are also kept in good condition for the most part, with private construction firms bidding for repair and maintenance jobs from the government. Most middle, upper middle, and upper class families are in possession of at least one automobile, usually more, depending on place of residence. Citizens in the inner cities usually use mass transit, while those commuting between cities or from suburbs and small towns use their own transportation. Mass transit in cities are provided by private charter companies and coordinated by a central government funded transportation agency. Subways are managed by privately owned companies running on government laid and owned track, with sections of track leased to the highest bidding company. All rail lines are interconnected for ease of transfer, and most transfers will occur where a particular company's jurisdicition ends, at an area where the train can easily switch tracks and return to its designated route or continue in a circuit. Taxi cabs and city busses are managed in much the same way, however less coordination is required because roads run both ways and can be serviced by any company assuming they have rights to use/establish a stop at a designated area. Trains and railroads in the Empire are used mostly for shipping goods from two points, however passenger rail lines still exist between cities, towns, and villages. Rail tracks are well taken care of, to ensure safe passage of goods and people from start to destination. Water Water is provided through a standard system of pipes and pumps to each and every city, town, and hamlet in the Empire. Water is distributed by private distribution companies regulated by strict government standards to deliver clean, high quality drinking and cleaning water to customers. Villages, hamlets, and homes in remote rural areas are usually serviced by a well with electric pump or have their water pumped from a clean source of water such as a mountain stream, and thus are free from a water distribution company but must instead answer to their electric company for the additional cost of the water pump servicing their home. Some villages have a pipe system services local homes and businesses, handing the distribution to a local company or a branch of a major distribution company. Electricity Nearly all homes in the Empire are provided with electricity through a similar means from that seen with water distribution, with private companies leasing government built structures and wires to provide areas with power. Most power plants in the Empire are 'environmentally friendly,' despite there being few laws and regulations dictating such. Two large solar plants and two windmill farms are in operation in the Empire, as well as three major hydroelectric dams. Coal and gas power plants are extremely rare today, with currently only one of each throughout the entire empire in operation. (both are located in Sapin) Nuclear power, however, is very common, and most of the Empire's power is generated from nuclear plants. Waste is usually disposed of in underground disposal sites, encased in concrete 'coffins' and left until safe to dispose of in a more conventional means. Currently, experiments with alternative advanced forms of power generation are under research, but thusfar little progress is being made due to a lack of government funding. Most power lines in cities and suburban neighborhoods are located underground, while rural power lines run along roadways and highways to provide power over long distance in a cheap and easy to maintenance method. Armed Forces TBC External Links TBC References TBC *